The second round of the A(H1N1) swine flu epidemic has begun, Public Health Minister Witthaya Kaewparadai said on Thursday.

He said some provinces had already encountered the second wave of swine flu with 30 per cent of 200 students tested in the northeastern province Nakhon Ratchasima having been diagnosed as infected with the virus.

The Public Health Ministry has launched a new campaign, Four to the Power of Four, to combat the resurgence of the virus, as it may spread quickly.

"Health agencies in all provinces will implement measures to limit the spread of the disease during the four months from November to February," the minister said.

"Students, people of working age, the elderly and people with chronic diseases will be closely watched. The ministry will promote four activities to eliminate germs and four measures will be enforced at management level."

People should look after their health and follow the advice given by health officials, he said.

"The government is considering buying 800,000 more doses of H1N1 vaccine, having already purchased two million doses from France," he said.

Additional supplies of the vaccine would be distributed to private hospitals, where people could buy it, he said.

In the first round of the outbreak, an estimated 8.4 million Thais were infected by the A(H1N1) virus - 20 per cent of them lived in Bangkok.

On Wednesday, the ministry confirmed one additional death, bringing the country’s total death toll from the epidemic to 185.

sicho

Face masks now seem to be almost a fashion item amongst the native population. They wear them if they have a light cold or think that someone that they passing the street might have one. As I understand it, they are useless at best and, at worst, harbour germs ready to be blasted into orbit at the next sneeze.

BANGKOK, Jan 13 (TNA) – Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health on Wednesday reported four more deaths related to Influenza Type A(H1N1), raising total death tally from what was formerly called swine flu to 196.

In a weekly report on the A(H1N1) flu situation from January 3-9, Permanent Secretary for Public Health Dr Paichit Varachit confirmed four new fatalities.

The dead were identified as a 24-year-old man living in Chaiyaphum, a 30-year-old woman in Roi Et, a four-year-old boy in Nakhon Ratchasima and a six-year-old boy in Chiang Mai.

All had suffered from asthma and obesity.

Counting from May 2009-January 9, the country’s cumulative A(H1N1) death toll stands at 30,805.

Chiang Mai, Trat, Chiang Ra, Phayao and Songkhla were the first five provinces reporting the highest cumulative number of deaths.

During the past week, a number of persons with flu-like symptoms who received medical treatment at hospitals have increased from nine per cent to 10 per cent.

Meanwhile, the number of persons suffering pneumonia rose from four per cent to 10 per cent, Dr Paichit said.

It is reported that the A(H1N1) flu pandemic has been found some cool areas. Health officials are worried that the virus may spread in rural areas and local people having flu-like symptoms may treat themselves by taking anti-flu drugs which may lead to severe symptoms and deaths.

In addition, the public health ministry has urged hospitals nationwide to closely monitor patients with respiratory diseases to prevent the spread of A(H1N1) influenza.

Regarding the A(H1N1) vaccination, Manit Teeratantikanont, director-general of the Department of Disease Control said no severe allergies were found in vaccinated groups in 31 provinces during the first two days of the vaccination programme on January 11 and 12.

The ministry reported that 3,769 at-risk people had been vaccinated. It is expected that more persons in high-risk groups will be injected as they are confident of the vaccine’s safety.

The ministry offers free vaccinations for five high-risk groups, including medical personnel, women who are at least three months pregnant, persons weighing over 100kg, the disabled, and persons with chronic diseases through March. (TNA)